Can Osteoarthritis Be Prevented?

If you wanted some advice on automobiles, there was no more entertaining source to turn to than Tom and Ray of Car Talk, who operated just a few hours northeast of us. Now running classic episodes, Car Talk fielded many a question on how to keep car parts lasting in top shape forever. Of course, it’s almost impossible to guarantee that will happen, and it can be the same when it comes to our joints and preventing osteoarthritis. Are there still things you can do to give yourself greater odds, though? Absolutely!

One of the primary osteoarthritis risk factors you can influence is body weight. Extra pounds add force and stress to joints, which can lead to a greater amount of wear over time. Fat tissue also produces cytokines, proteins that encourage inflammation and having a negative effect on joint tissue. Even losing just a few pounds can have a big impact on reducing arthritis risks.

Physical activity is an element in weight maintenance, naturally, but it also has a direct impact on keeping joints limber and joint-supporting muscles strong. Walking, swimming, and biking are great activities with a low forces on joints, but the keys are to remain consistent and slowly improve with whatever you do.

Since diabetes has also been found to be a risk factor for osteoarthritis, taking measures to control blood sugar or prevent the onset of the disease entirely are excellent steps toward preventing inflammation and the destruction of joint cartilage.

Everything you can do to help prevent “wear and tear” arthritis is going to have benefits for the rest of your body as well. For more advice on prevention, or for help managing the symptoms of arthritis in your feet or ankles, give Dr. Sanjay Patel and the staff of Family Foot Care & Surgery a call. You can reach our Hamden office at (203) 288-4055 or our Milford office at (203) 876-7736.